


I'm Here

by XxmerthurcatxX



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Billy Hargrove Needs a Hug, Cuddling, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, robin is a good wing woman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22868479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxmerthurcatxX/pseuds/XxmerthurcatxX
Summary: Billy can't sleep. Steve offers to help.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 9
Kudos: 233





	I'm Here

“So when were you going to tell me that you and Hargrove were a thing?” Robin asked, twirling a twizzler around in her fingers before taking a bite. 

Steve dropped the stack of movies he had been getting ready to reshelf. There was no way that sentence had just come out of Robin’s mouth. First of all, it wasn’t even remotely true. Second of all, the idea of him and Billy together was completely ridiculous. Okay fine, maybe there had been one ill advised and very drunken kiss at Tommy’s graduation party. But they never talked about it and then a month or so later Billy got possessed by the Mind Flayer. As far as Steve was concerned, it was in the past.

“We’re not a thing,” Steve told her seriously, picking up his stack of movies and walking around the counter to put them back. Robin followed, poking him with the twizzler. 

“But you’re into him right? Every time he comes in here you watch him like a hawk and that one time you handed him his movies and your hands brushed I thought you were going to combust from blushing so hard,” she teased. 

Steve ignored her, putting back a copy of Star Wars and wondering if he should tell Dustin since he knew the kid had been wanting to watch it again, like he hadn’t seen it a hundred times. Not that Steve blamed him. The lightsabers were cool as hell, not to mention Princess Leia was--

The bell above the door chimed and Steve glanced up to greet whoever it was, words dying on his tongue when he saw it was Billy. 

He looked different. Even more so than when he first came back after the Mind Flayer. Dressed in a black sweatshirt with the hood pulled up, his stubble overgrown and his hands stuffed deep into the pockets; so different from the attention seeking bad boy he had been before. The only thing that hadn’t changed were his eyes. Still bright blue and more than a little distracting. But there were backs under them today and he looked like he was gonna fall over right where he stood. 

“Can I help you find anything?” Steve asked stupidly. 

Billy shook his head and shuffled toward the counter, sliding a couple of movies into the return slot. 

“Just bringing these back,” Billy mumbled, already heading for the door to leave. That was strange too. Normally he hung around for a while, let Steve prattle on about some new movie he thought the other boy should see. Now it was like he couldn’t get out of there fast enough. 

“Go,” Robin whispered, giving him a shove toward the door Billy had just left through. “Your shift is over in twenty minutes anyway and we both know you’d spend the whole time worrying about him. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Hargrove looks like he needs a hug.” 

Steve was grateful that Robin knew him so well. He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek, throwing his stupid Family Video vest on the counter and rushing after Billy. 

The other boy hadn’t gotten very far, considering he didn’t have a car anymore. Steve wondered if Billy remembered that that was his fault since he’d sort of, uh, crashed into the Camaro on purpose. Considering Billy hadn’t murdered him, he probably didn’t have that particular memory. 

“Hey Billy, wait up!” Steve called, running to catch up with him. 

Billy stopped, but didn’t turn around. His shoulders were up around his ears, discomfort obvious. 

“Need something, Harrington?” he asked. 

Steve hadn’t bounced nervously on the balls of his feet. 

“Um, I just wanted to see if you were okay,” he said, running a hand through his hair and taking a deep breath before continuing. “I-I know what you went through wasn’t easy and I want you to know that if you need someone to talk to about it, um, you can talk to me.”

Billy didn’t turn around. The tension didn’t leave his shoulders. If anything, he seemed even more uncomfortable than he was before. Right. So maybe Steve had made a huge misstep with this one. He sighed. 

“Sorry. I don’t know what I’m saying. I’ll, uh, see you next time you wanna rent a movie,” Steve said, ready to go running back to Robin and wallow in self pity. 

“I can’t sleep.” 

Steve stopped at the sound of Billy’s voice and yeah, he sounded exhausted. The bags under his eyes made sense now. Billy turned slowly to face Steve, blinking sleepily at him.  _ Cute _ , Steve thought, immediately shoving that thought back into the dark recesses of his brain because now was so not the time. 

“Like, at all?” Steve asked. 

Billy sighed, shaking his head. He looked miserable and yeah, Steve needed to fix that pronto. 

“Okay, well, do you--I could help?” Steve offered. 

Billy frowned. 

“How?” 

Steve shrugged. 

“Don’t know yet, but if you’re not busy you could come back to mine and we could figure it out.”

Billy nibbled his lip as he considered Steve’s offer and for a second Steve thought he was gonna turn around and be on his way. But then he was nodding and walking back toward the parking lot where Steve’s car was, an unspoken agreement. 

Steve drove slow. Slower than he normally would, to give himself time to come up with some semblance of a plan to help Billy sleep. Probably better to start at the root of the problem and go from there. 

“How come you can’t sleep?” Steve asked when they were sitting on the couch in his living room. His parents were in Chicago for some week long conference shit, so the house was thankfully empty. “I mean, is it something in particular keeping you awake, or is it regular insomnia?”

Billy fidgeted with the hem of his hoodie, an uncharacteristic gesture. Billy Hargrove didn’t fidget. He strutted around with his shirt open and licked his lips and flashed a grin that he knew could get him whatever he wanted. Not anymore. He was more...subdued now. 

“Nightmares,” Billy finally grunted, cheeks a little pink, like he was embarrassed to admit it. He definitely didn’t need to be. Steve had nightmares too; ones where one of the kids died or he got trapped in the tunnels with a bunch of angry demodogs. Billy’s must be a hundred times worse. 

“I get them too,” Steve admitted, smiling reassuringly when Billy’s eyes finally met his. “We all do. Especially Will. He, uh, he was the host for the Mind Flayer before you.” 

Billy grimaced.

“Fuckin thing have something against people named William or something?” he grumbled, a half attempt at a joke. 

Steve chuckled softly. It wasn’t really funny, but it was a weird coincidence. He remembered calling Nancy back when they were still together, thankful that she had her own phone in her room. They’d stay up all night talking instead of sleeping, both too afraid to close their eyes. Then there was Robin, who on several occasions had turned up at Steve’s door in the middle of night, either because she’d had a nightmare herself or because Steve had called her after one of his. They’d lay in Steve’s bed together, just thankful to have another person who understood. 

But Billy. 

Billy didn’t really have anyone. 

He’d been living on his own since he got back; in a trailer in the woods that some shitty lab assistants had set up for him. Max visited of course, and she usually brought El with her, but Billy spent most of his time alone. It made Steve’s heart ache, thinking of the other boy waking up screaming and not having anyone to call. 

“You can always talk to me, you know? I’ll give you my phone number. You can call me next time you have a nightmare. Or you can come here. O-or I’ll come to you.” 

Billy arched a brow at him. 

“Careful, Harrington, might start thinking you care about me.” 

It was probably meant to sound meaner than it came out. There was hope in his voice. Hope that Billy hadn’t been able to hide. Steve heard it loud and clear and it made his chest ache even more. 

“I do. What you went through...I can’t even imagine. So if you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask okay? I’m here if you need me,” he said. 

Billy’s expression softened and he let out a long breath, letting his head fall back against the couch. 

“Fuck I’m tired,” he sighed. 

Steve watched as Billy’s eyes fluttered shut, his chest rising and falling as he took slow breaths in and out. He scooched closer slowly, trying not to spook the other boy.

“Lay down,” Steve said softly. 

Billy didn’t even attempt to protest, laying down in a little ball, clearly trying not to touch Steve. Well that wasn’t gonna work. 

“Okay, I’m gonna try something. Please don’t punch me,” Steve said hesitantly. 

Billy cracked an eye open. 

“I’m not gonna...I wouldn’t...I wouldn’t hurt you,” Billy said, his voice barely above a whisper. 

Steve nodded, sliding behind Billy. He coaxed Billy into stretching his legs out a little, tucking his knees behind the other boys. So far Billy seemed on board, so Steve looped an arm around his waist so they were properly spooning. 

“You thought I’d punch you for wanting to cuddle?” Billy asked. 

Steve huffed. 

“Well I don’t know man! I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything, but it helps me sleep if I’ve got someone to hold or someone’s holding me so I figured--

“You usually sleep holding that Robin chick?” Billy asked. 

Steve snorted. 

“No. I mean, yeah, but not for the reason you’re implying,” he explained. It wasn’t his place to tell Billy that Robin liked girls, but he could at least make sure the other boy didn’t think they were together. “We’re friends and after everything that happened we both have trouble sleeping so yeah, she comes over sometimes.” 

Billy hummed, finally letting himself settle a little bit, leaning back into Steve. 

“Surprised you didn’t punch me that time,” Billy muttered. 

Steve frowned. 

“What time?”

“Tommy’s graduation party.” 

Steve congratulated himself for not flinching in surprise because he really didn’t think they’d ever talk about that. They’d both been drunk and Billy had apologized for beating him up at the Byers and then planted one on him. Steve had been surprised sure, but the kiss wasn’t exactly unwelcome. 

“I kissed you back,” Steve reminded him. 

“Mm, I remember,” Billy murmured, slowly sliding his hand over Steve’s and lacing their fingers together. “Don’t suppose you’d wanna do it again sometime?” he asked, ending the question on a yawn. 

“Why don’t you get some sleep? We can talk about it later,” Steve promised, pressing a kiss to the back of Billy’s neck and smiling when he felt the other boy shiver. 

“M’feelin pretty awake now,” Billy protested, even though his speech was already starting to slur. 

“Sure you are,” Steve teased, tucking his face into Billy’s curls. “Sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.” 

Billy hummed sleepily, bringing their joined hands to his lips and brushing his lips across Steve’s knuckles. It was soft. Gentle. So different from the Billy that Steve thought he knew. There would be plenty of time to get to know each other better late. When Billy had slept and Steve had figured out how to keep his heart from skipping a beat whenever Billy looked at him. 

“Promise.” 

Steve started at Billy’s voice. 

“Huh?” he asked. 

“Promise you’ll be here when I wake up.” 

Steve made a mental note to make sure Billy never felt like he was alone again. No one who went through what Billy did deserved to wake up from a nightmare, terrified and alone with no one next to them to hold onto until everything was okay again. 

Steve gave Billy’s hand a squeeze. 

"Promise."


End file.
